Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-02-17

case and under the provision of the bill,
permitting person now receiving pen
sions tc be admitted TO the benefits of
the act, | do not see how those
nov on the pension roll for disabilities
incurred in the servi &c, and which dimin-
ISL their earning capacity, can be denied
the pension provided in this bill. OF
course none will apply who are receiving
so or more per month; but June 80,
1885, there were on the pension rolls
202,621 persons who were receiving 5S
different rates of pension, from SO to
$11.75 per month. Of these 28,142 were
receiving 81 per month; 2S,36O 81 per
month; &c. lie 81 per month; 37,254 Sc
per month, and 50,274, whose disabilities
were ra'ed as total, SIS per month. AS to
the meaning of the section of the bill IN
der considerati Oh, there appears to have
been
QUITE A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION
among its advocates in congress. The
chairman of the committee on pensions
in the house of representatives., who re-
ported the bill, declared that there was in
it no provision for pens1oning any one
who has less disability than the total dis
ability to labor, and that it was charity
measure. The chairman of the commit
tee on pensions in the senate, having
charge of the bill in that body, dissented
from the construction of the bill an
nounced in the house of representatives,
and declared that it not only embraced
all soldiers totally disabled, but in his
judjment all who are disabled to any con-
siderable extent, and such a construction
was substantially given to the bill by an
other distinguished senator who, as
former secretary of the interior, had ina
posed upon him the duty of executing
the pension laws and determining their
intent and meaning.
ANOTHER CONDITION
reqlred of claimants under this act is
that they be dependent upon their daily
labor for support" This language, which
may be said to assume that there exists
within the reach of the persons men
toned ''labor," or ability in some degree
to work, IS more aptly used in the statute
describing those not wholly deprived of
this ability than in the one which deals
with, those utterly unable to work.
THE PRESIDENTS INTERPRETATION.
I am of the opinion that it may fairly
be commended that under the provisions
of this section any soldier whose fasul-
ties of mind or bedy become impaired
by accident disease or age, irrespective
of his service in the army as the cause,
and who, by his labor only, is left incapa-
BILE of gaining as fair a support as he
might with unimpaired powers have pro-
vided for himself, and who is not SO
well endowed with this world g
goods as to live without work may claim
to participate in its bounty; that it is
not required that he should be without
property, out only that labor should be
necessary to his support in some degree;
nor is it required that he should be now
receiving support from others. Believ-
ing this to be the proper Interpretation
of the bill, I cannot but remember that
the soldiers of our civil war in their
pay and bounty received such compen-
sation for their military service as has
never been received by soldiers before
since mankind first went to war, and
that never before on behalf of any sol
der have so many and such generous
laws been passed to relieve against
the incidents of war: that statutes have
been passed giving them the preference
in all public employments; that the real
ly needy and homeless Union soldiers of
the rebellion have been to large extent
provided for at soldiers homes instituted
and supported by the government, where
they are maintained together, free from
the sense of degradation which attaches
to the usual support of charity, and that
never before in the history Of the coun-
try has it been proposed to render gov
eminent aid in support of any of its SOL
diers,
BASED ALONE UPON MILITARY SERVICE
so recent and where age and circum-
stances appeared SO little TO demand such
aid. Hitherto such relief has been
granted to surviving soldiers, few in
number, venerable in age, after a long
lapse of time since their military SER
vice and as a parting benefit rendered
by grateful people. l cannot but believe
that the vast and peaceful army of union
soldiers, who having contentedly re-
sumed their places in the ordinary voca-
tions of life and cherish as sacred the
memory of the patriotic service, Or who
having been disabled by the casualties
of war justly regard the present pension
roll on which appear their names as roll
of honor, desire at this time and in the
present eEigency to be COMPOUNDED with
those who through such bill as this are
willing to be
OBJECTS OF SIMPLE CHARITY,
and to gain place upon the pension roll
through alleged dependence. Recent
personal observation and experience con-
strain me to refer to another result which
will inevitably follow the passage of this
bill. 1t is sad but nevertheless true that
already in the matter of procuring pen
sions there exists
WIDESPREAD DISREGARD OF TRUTH
AID good faith stimulated by those
whom as agents undertake to establish
claims foa pensions heedlessly entered
upon by the expectant beneficiary and en-
couraged or at least not condemned by
those unwilling to obstruct his neighbours
plans in the execution of this proposed
law under any Interpretation
wide field of inquiry would be
opened for the establishment
of facts largely within the knowledge of
claimants alone, and there can be no
doubt that the race after the pensions
offered by this bill would not only slim
ulate weakness and pretended inca
pacity for labor, but put further prem
ium on dishonesty and mendacity. The
effect of the number of
invitations to apply for pensions or of
the new ADVANTAGES added to the causes